CUMBERLAND

[ Olivia Serres (1772–1834), known as Olive, was a British painter and writer, born at Warwick. Also known as an English impostor, who claimed the title of Princess Olive of Cumberland.

Publication details:

No place or date present.

£220.00

Subscription of Autograph Letter, 18 x 7cm, on backing of part of an album page, good conditipon. Text: "request I presumed to make - of being allowed the Honor of styling Myself - Landscape Painter [phrase undelined] to your Royal Highness [underlined] | most respetfully I remain | Sir Your Royal Highness | obed[ient] ser[van]t | Olivia Wilmot Serres".

Surviving top half of an Order, 20 x 18cm, small closed tears, grubby, fold marks, text clear and complete as far as it goes. The recto contains the terms of the Order (cash for distribution by William, Duke of Cumberland to staff in Windsor Forest [Windsor Royal Park. The verso is signed by Cumberland's Comptroller, "July 22 1760 | Reced the within contents \ [signed] Wm Windham | Witness [signed] Peter Couture [Steward in the Duke's "establishment"].

103pp., 8vo. In brown cloth boards, with title in gilt on cover. In good condition internally, on lightly-aged paper, in worn cloth binding. Inscribed by the author on front free endpaper: 'Presentation copy with Author's compliments | Cumberland Clark'. Four copies only on COPAC, at the British Library, Oxford, Guildhall and Bishopsgate Institute. Now uncommon. Laid down on the front pastedown is a copy of an article 'From the Kensington News, Nov. 16, 1923', titled 'A Gifted Publicist and a Versatile Patriot'.

Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland 1799-1851, and King of Hanover 1837-1851, son of King George III and uncle of Queen Victoria [ Rev. William Morgan, Chaplain of the Royal Naval Asylum, Greenwich ]

Publication details:

St James's Palace [ London ]. 1 January 1808.

£600.00

The Duke was the head of the Committee in charge of the Royal Naval Asylum, which had been founded as the British National Endeavour in 1798, for the orphans of military and naval personnel killed in action. It had moved from Paddington to the Queen's House, Greenwich, in October 1807, having received a large amount of public support (including that of Lord Nelson), and was responsible for upwards of 1000 boys and girls. 3pp., 4to. Bifolium. On aged paper, with damp damage resulting in some loss (including a little text). Repaired with archival tape.

Of the twelve letters, nine are to her sister Ellen Alice Webb ('Nell'), two are to her father the Oxford gunmaker George Webb (d.1892, of 85 High Street, and later 36 Iffley Rd), and one is to both father and sister. They total 57pp, in a variety of paper shapes and sizes (10pp., 32mo; 20pp., 16mo; 23pp., 12mo; 4pp., 4to). In good condition, on aged and worn paper. One letter lacking the final section, including signature. As Barry H.

George Rimington (1783-1853) of Tyne Field House, near Penrith, Cumberland [Greenside Lead Mine]

Publication details:

Cumberland. 1 January 1840 to 27 November 1841.

£1,450.00

348pp., 4to, with openings numbered 1-174. In original vellum binding, marbled endpapers. 'Day Book 1840 & 1841' on spine, and the following in faded letters upside-down on back board: 'Geo: Rimingtons Day Book, <...> Weather Letters <...> | Jany. 1st. 1840 Sepr 14 1841'. Internally in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper, in worn and grubby binding. An extraordinarily detailed volume, filled with disparate information, written out in a neat close hand, with twenty-one lines to a page.

Olivia Serres [née Wilmot] (1772-1834), English Royal imposter, claiming the title Princess Olive of Cumberrland [King William IV; Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland]

Publication details:

Petition dated from London. February 1833.

£850.00

23pp., foolscap 8vo. On six bifoliums of laid paper with 1833 Britannia watermark of Gilling & Alllford. Good, on lightly aged and worn paper. Folded into the customary packet, and docketed on reverse of last leaf 'Copy Letter to the King from the Princess Olive'. The document was written shortly before Serres' death, and does not appear to have been published.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The poem is of eighteen lines, and begins: 'I agree, my dear friend that whatever we feel | We are really no more than the "flies on the wheel." | And that there's little more which each one of [us] does | Than fluster & flurry & worry & buzz | But each has his place if he only could know it | But I doubt very much if my place is a poet!

From the Penrith Observer, 14, 21 and 28 November and 5 December 1911.

£180.00

Five columns of text, each 51 cm long, on one side of piece of paper, 42 x 57 cm. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper. An autograph note on the reverse by Miss E. C. Abraham of Swarthmoor Hall, Ulverston, states that the item was sent to her its author A. W. Rumney, whose presentation inscription ('With best wishes for Xmas | AWR') is at the head of the article. The first column discusses the accounts which cover the remaining four columns, dating from 'the year of Waterloo' 1815. The entry 'Sept. 2, Pd. for Mrs. Hofland's packages per wagon ... ... ...

An interesting collection, with some revealing comments within the correspondence. All six items are laid down on a folio leaf of pink paper removed from an autograph album. All clear and complete, in good condition on aged paper, with the Feversham letter somewhat grubby. The handbill (12mo, 1 p), on behalf of the Committee for the Blamire Memorial, and in the names of Henry Londsdale and Henry Dobinson, is headed 'BLAMIRE MEMORIAL', and dated 'Carlisle, Oct. 7th, 1862.' It reports the resolutions of a meeting held on 4 October 1862.

Twelve pages on six folio leaves, apparently disbound from the 1803 reprint of the Journals of the House of Commons, and paginated 351-362. Discoloured, and with chipping to extremities (not affecting text). Summarises the statements of various individuals concerning the matter. The first of the four appendices is 'A Rental of the Estates late Lord Derwentwater's, in the Counties of Northumberland and Cumberland. To be sold before the Commissioners and Trustees for the Forfeited Estates, on Thursday the Eleventh Day of July next, 1723.

English runic archaeologist (1813-95). The recipient (c.1820-1896) was Principal of St Bees Theological College in Cumbria. Three pages, octavo. A frail survival, in poor condition, on discoloured, fraying paper, with several closed tears and loss to second leaf of bifolium, affecting three lines of text, and repaired with archival tape. Red letterhead vignette of stone with runic inscription. 'Your favor of the 13th has followed me to this place, my son's estate, where I have a large part of my library, Museum and Collections, as he has plenty of room in his large house.